Rate of leptospiral meningitis and meningoencephalitis in Tehran

Background: Leptospirosis is an endemic zoonosis in Iran. One of the most important forms of its presentations is meningoencephalitis. The present study was designed to evaluate leptospiral infection in patients with aseptic meningitis or meningoencephalitis in tertiary care hospitals in Tehran. Patients and methods: A study was conducted on 20 patients admitted with aseptic meningitis or meningoencephalitis in Imam Hossein Hospital in Tehran. Leptospiral antibodies were detected in acute and convalescent sera and in CSF of infected patients. Results: Fifteen percent of cases (3 cases) were seropositive for leptospiral antibodies by ELISA. All of these cases presented with meningoencephalitis. Conclusion: This study suggests that leptospiral infection can be associated with aseptic meningitis or meningoencephalitis, thus, physicians should consider leptospirosis in differential diagnosis of patients presenting with meningoencephalitis.